Happy Place in Milan

One of the most beautiful things about living in Paris is the facility of getting out of Paris. 

You can just book an internal flight or a train and go wherever you want in Europe. Last week I decided to visit Milan and Venice during spring break, a mixture of history and modernity. In this post, I want to talk about a special location that I absolutely loved, nothing related to fashion, style or food. 

This place is completely natural and incredibly peaceful. It is the Parco Sampione, located in the heart of Milan. For many it might be a simple park or just a beautiful garden where people walk their dogs and meet for coffee. I found it breathtaking. I am not very good at describing so I prefer posting pictures and let you imagine the place, but in a few words, I especially loved the possible interaction between the people and the nature. The lake is completely clean and animated by several sorts of creatures like ducks, birds, water turtles, fishes… The threes are a hundred years old making us feel privileged. I felt happy and lucky. 

What About our Bodies?

I’m sitting here in the Jardin du Luxembourg, in the heart of Paris, thinking of anything but homework. The sun is shining, the Parisians are happy and as for me, I am listening to amazing music from the 80’s. I’ve been living in this city for a month now and I am enjoying each moment as much as I can.

I wanted to write a post about Paris, but each time I sat down and started to write, I would get so lost in my thoughts because I have so much things to say. Too much thoughts about Paris, about its patisserie, about its people, about is museums, its architecture, its weather… And as a result, the post would be bombarded with information and emotions. So instead of writing a touristic guide full of impressions, I decided to write about everyday subjects as I usually do and include a Parisian touch.

Today I want to write about human bodies. Last week I saw a reportage on TV that left me speechless. Victoire Maçon Dauxerre, an ex top-model, speaks about her life when she was still rocking runways and photoshoots. She actually wrote a book about her whole experience in this industry called “Jamais assez maigre” (which I will buy later in the day).

People admire top models. They follow their lifestyles, they watch them on runways, they add them on social media. They put their pictures as wallpapers on their phones and laptops for aspiration, they hang pictures of their bodies on treadmills for “motivation” and they even follow their diets.

People get jealous of top models, they cry, starve, isolate themselves because of them.

People get anorexia and dangerous sicknesses because of them.

People commit suicide because of them. People die because of them.

And you want to know the worst part? Behind all their pictures, their smiles and their success, those top models are the most miserable people on the planet.

This affirmation doesn’t come from me, it comes from an ex top-model herself and you can read her testimony in her book if you don’t believe me.

Why are you so obsessed with unhealthy bodies? Why do you want to starve and hurt yourself? Eating three apples a day or drinking only juice as “detox” for a week are the worst things you can do to yourself. Life is short and food is one of the greatest pleasures in it. Don’t take that aways from you. Don’t deny it, food makes us happy.

If you are still not convinced, just read the testimony of an ex top-model herself. I am going to read her book right now and I will come back to you with more credible arguments because I believe that you deserve to be happy, healthy and comfortable in your own body.

Stop looking up to people who are not even real. Stop looking up to people who are miserable and commit suicide/want to commit suicide. You think they are perfectly happy and comfortable by looking at their pictures but what do you really know about them? Do you think they are really happy eating three apples and exercising four hours a day?

Victoire Maçon Dauxerre while she was still a top model

New Year, New Goals

Writing resolutions in the beginning of a new year may sound a little childish, but I find it enthusiastic and challenging. I like to focus on what bothered me the most last year and try to solve it with a new beginning, a new page. I think we should all take advantage of this opportunity and kick off a new year with positive intentions. I am not going to reveal my resolutions word to word, but I can tell you that my main focus this year is being true to myself. 

By this expression, I mean acting for myself and not to please others. It is very hard to escape from the social prison in which we are all trapped, we constantly want to prove to others that we are cool, intelligent, famous… and most importantly happy. Most of us force themselves to go to places they hate, hang out with people they don’t like and adopt a certain personality because society said so. Teenagers post pictures of themselves partying and pretending to be happy while in the inside they are dying to slap the people around them and spend time with people they actually like in a place they actually enjoy. Don’t deny it. We are all social prisoners. Our actions depend on people’s perceptions. I know I can’t really escape from all this, but I want to at least try as much as I can. I want to stay true to myself and do what I like and not what others want me to do. I revealed this detail from my resolutions to inspire and maybe help you write your own resolutions and work on yourselves.

Try to change what was bothering you in 2015 in order to be happier in 2016. 

Shopping in Your Own Closet for New Year's Eve

Personally I consider December 31 like any other normal day. Most people start planning new year’s eve months earlier including the evening’s outfit for women. For those of you who haven’t picked an outfit yet and don’t plan on spending days shopping and ending up paying more than your budget, here’s some tips to help you transform your simplest items.  

I know most of you ladies want a very special outfit, something exclusive and unique. Sparkles, diamonds, jewelries and fur are always on the menu. This year, I suggest you pick the simplest outfit you can find in your closet and focus on the accessories. Avoid buying gold dresses or fancy tops, you know you’ll never wear them again. So instead of buying expensive clothes, buy fancy and cheap accessories from any vintage shop or any little accessory boutique. And don’t forget to look in your mom’s or grandmother’ closets, trust me you can find a lot of interesting items!

Let’s start with concrete examples!

I am sure most of you have a simple black dress in your closets, the famous little black dress that you always use as a backup when you don’t know what to wear. Even if you wore it a million times and all your friends saw it, if you accessorize it the right way, trust me they won’t even notice it’s the same dress. For the jacket, anything can work: leather jacket, blazer or long coat. As for the accessories, winter gloves are almost a must because they style the outfit and give a chic touch at the same time (especially if you can find the Karl Lagerfeld style gloves). Also choose a sophisticated hat and some cool sunglasses. If your dress is very simple like the one I chose here, try to find a fancy necklace to animate the dress. And of course of course, put some heels on for a sexy touch!

If you’re going somewhere cold, choose a simple wool dress like the one I chose here. Personally I love colorful coats with gray dresses so if you have one it would be perfect. Don’t be afraid to put some crazy accessories and some daring colors! And if you think the accessories are too much, focus on the makeup. I am not a big pro in makeup but I learned that you should focus on either the eyes or the lips (not both at the same time).

Now if you’re more a chill person and you like to stick to your light jeans and simple top and the dress code says fancy, it’s not a problem. You can balance the outfit with a dark red lipstick to give a dressy touch and the big fancy earrings are mandatory. As I said earlier the leather gloves help style the outfit with elegance. In this case, you can’t skip the fancy heels!

Worst scenario: pants, sweaters and beanies? You can still be dressy with the perfect accessories! Pick a big necklace to illuminate the outfit like the H&M necklace I chose here. Choose a small fancy clutch and a pair of sexy heels. The makeup has to be perfect and I suggest you with the red lips and a pair of chic vintage sunglasses.

Now if you’re not the sparkle and heels type, you can still rock a pair of Dr. Martens or vintage boots. Pick a cute dress like this shirt dress from Mango and accessorize it with a bow tie for example and a chic hat. Don’t be afraid to wear items with fur and colorful accessories.

And finally you can definitely slay with a silver nail polish and sparkling heels. You can choose very simple pants and match them with a stylish top like this one from Topshop. Once again I suggest you go for red lips because it’s sexy and elegant at the same time. 

A Letter to Santa?

What is Christmas really about?

Besides religion and Christian believes, Christmas is after all an international holiday and everyone celebrates it by offering gifts, spending time with beloved ones over dinner etc. This year, my country, Lebanon, has invested a lot in Christmas decorations including fancy lights on the roads, giant Christmas trees, food trucks reuniting friends and families and a lot of other events. This whole Christmas spirit made me realize something simple: Christmas is about family, but family does not mean related by blood, it means related by heart. The purpose of Christmas is reuniting people. Whether you are Christian, Muslim, Buddhist or belongs to any other religion, whether you are black, white, yellow, red or any other possible colors, whether you have a family or not, whether you like your family or not, you should celebrate love with the people you appreciate the most. The world is full of environmental, political and social problems. Humans need love and peace at least once a year, during Christmas time under gigantic Christmas lights and happy colors. You have the possibility to choose your family.

Do not let anything take that love away from you. Even if you recently went through difficult and terrible issues, begin a new year, open a new page, start a new chapter with the Christmas spirit. Life is short, very short, Christmas is only once a year, do not let it go. Embrace it, enjoy it and share it with the people you love, with your own definition of family.

With love, fashiongourmande.

Virtual Life: OFF Real Life: ON

Going without technology for 48hrs

The first feeling I experienced after giving away my phone was freedom. I usually hold my phone in my hand, so the feeling of the wind on my hand was very weird. I started moving my arms back and forth as if they were attached my whole life and I was moving them for the first time. As I got in the car and faced the 5o’clock usual traffic, I thought I will not survive without music. I usually connect my phone to my car and listen to the music I download but this time I had to listen to imposed music from the radio. I know I was already cheating by listening to the radio but it was really impossible for me to stay calm and make it home without tearing my hair. Cars’ honking at the end of a long and tiring day is exhausting and my only way to stay calm and save energy is through music. The first night was not very difficult; I made some traditional telephone calls, had dinner with my mother and went to bed early. Wednesday morning, I went to the French embassy to ask a couple of questions about some papers. I waited in line for my turn and a few minutes after, a man came and stood behind me, also waiting for his turn. Instead of looking on my non-existent phone, I started looking at catalogues and brochures displayed on a table besides me. Honestly, I acted as if I was reading them just to avoid the man’s eyes. At this moment, I felt really bad, not because I had difficulties avoiding the man’s eyes, but because I realized how insecure and awkward I can be.

As for the rest of the time left, I enjoyed the company of some friends and had lovely conversations. I felt frustrated sometimes when I could not take pictures of beautiful things and post them on Snapchat or Instragram. Thursday night I even felt lost and bored so I went to bed early and slept better.

This experience was challenging and rich at the same time. Nowadays, having a smart phone is a fulltime job and I realized I need to control this job and not let it invade my whole life. During 48hours, I thought about life in a different way and had a different perception on important issues such as relationships between people. It made me realize that letters and emoticons do not represent our feelings and emotions and we should not give them importance and base our judgments on them. It also made me think of older generations and how they lived waiting for precious live interactions. Today, we do not value face to face interactions anymore. I truly encourage all of you to do turn off your virtual world and turn on the real life.

Beirut Art Fair 2015

While most Lebanese are trying to find a direct solution for the trash problem, art may be an indirect answer to relax and clear a lot of minds. Beirut Art Fair returns this year with a lot of international artists expressing themselves through drawings, paintings, sculptures, digital videos…

The event was open to the public from September 18 to 20. Around fifty modern and contemporary designs from different artists were exposed in Biel this weekend. Each art piece reflects a story, a dream, a statement.

Like every year, Biel Hall gets transformed into a labyrinth of artistic objects. The public receives a map at the entry showing the locations of each designer. As for the exposed items, Beirut Art Fair keeps surprising the Lebanese public with innovative designs suiting the historical and social aspects of the country. For instance, a stand exposing carpets, Nalbandian Sal, decorated the carpets with fake trash and an empty presidential seat. And this year, the event focused on the relation between reality and virtual world.

Almost all designers were present in front of their art explaining the stages they went through and the difficulties they experienced while working.

The artist Graciela Hasper resting in front of her painitngs

The artist Alexandre Ouairy reads local news during the exhibition

The public included people from all ages. A lot of business people were discussing prices and potential future investments. Art critics were of course present too analyzing the small details. And finally families and friends attended the event to share a relaxing moment and acknowledge more about international and local art.

Two women discussing a painting

Two persons trying to get the best shot of a painting

Morover, the public had the chance to express themselves through what we can call art. Two large walls were available for the people, some chose to write their names while other gave their opinion on the whole event and the city Beirut.

Not only artists can express themselves

Une Libanaise au Liban

After her big success in Paris, the famous blogger "Une Libanaise a Paris" returns to her country - Lebanon - to meet her readers and tell them more about her experience. The event was organized by The Agenda Beirut in partnership with Swarovski and Le Gray Beirut and was set yesterday. A lot of people attended the event on Le Gray's rooftop and the ambiance was very nice despite the heat. 

I attended the event with Kristy, a friend who is also passionate about fashion and has a great taste in style. 

The blogger took time to speak with her readers and take pictures with them for social media of course. She was also interviewed by several TV stations before hitting the stage to talk about her experience in blogging in front of the crowd. 

In general, she talked about the different stages she went through as a blogger with a big smile on her face. She is a very funny person who likes to make a lot of jokes and make people laugh. After her talk, several persons asked her questions on her blog and her opinion on social media and so on. The most exciting part of the event was when she talked about her experience with Chanel and her interview with Karl Lagerfeld. I almost had tears in my eyes when she told us what Lagerfeld thought about her. Overall the event was very successful for everyone.

 

As for my outfit, I chose to wear chic black pants from Zara with a white cropped top also from Zara. I styled the outfit with a kimono that I bought from Primark London two years ago. As for the shoes, I wore high platforms from Zara to give an elegant touch. 

How to spend effective university mornings

I wrote this little article for a media class last semester and I thought why not share it with you.

Waking up in the morning is probably the most difficult task of the day for students, especially if they are not waking up for a morning flight or day of ski.  

And since the whole day depend on the wake up, getting up 30 min before class and eating breakfast in the elevator are not a solution for an active university day. Here are some tips to spend an effective morning.

1. The Wake-up Time

The alarm is one of the main element in the wake up process. According to some researches, light is more effective than sound. For those who have issues getting out of bed, the best solution is the dawn-simulating alarm clocks that brighten the room as wake time approaches. And for those who like to wake up in a soft ambiance, music brings in positive morning vibes. 

2. Time in Bed

After waking up, students tend to stay in bed and extend the alarm for 5 more minutes before going back to sleep. This reaction occurs many times before the student breaks the alarm. The best solution in this case is to wake up from the first time and sit in bed during 15 min approximately. In this short period of time, students wake up slowly and start to get use to the idea of getting up. 

    3. Time to Work out?

Yes. According to Carla Habib Mourad, a community nutritionist, working out in the morning is the best moment to burn fat. Even simple stretching is useful to kick off an energetic day.

    4. Breakfast of Champions

“Diets”, “no appetite” and “not hungry” are no excuses for missing breakfast. It is the most important meal of the day. “Breakfast should be composed of carbohydrates like bread and cereals, daily products like milk or cheese, and vegetables,” said Mourad.

5. Have your Homework Ready

Most students tend to leave homework for the last minute - in the morning, of course. Under the stress of not submitting the work on time, most students are not satisfied of their final product. Having your homework ready in the evening will make your mornings peaceful and soothing instead of stressful and pressuring. 

    6. Stuck in Traffic

Avoiding traffic is almost impossible in the morning. The first thing to do is estimate the time it will take to get to the destination and leave on time. And while in the car, try to engage in relaxing activities such as listening to music, following daily news or reading a book - if you are not driving of course.

Another hidden treasure

As I already mentioned in my previous posts, discovering local beautiful places became a real passion. And this time we hit Baakline! This region is known for its river but the place we found included a lake with waterfalls. 

Of course I was amazed by the view but I didn’t realize its true beauty until I got in the water and "experienced the beauty". I know the expression is weird but this is what I really felt. My perception of nature changed in the water because I could smell and feel the lack with my other senses. Watching the waterfalls and feeling them on your head is completely different. Although the water was super cold, and when I say super cold trust me I am not exaggerating, I could feel my blood freezing, the experience overall was very nice and refreshing. Actually after a minute in the water, your body gets used to the temperature so you tend to forget the cold. 

As for the food, well as much as I like to talk about food there isn’t really something to say because we only got chips and small snacks. The other people around us brought their barbecues and we had to smell the grills without eating (hard thing to do when you're in the middle of no where with no real food). 

Inspiration and encouragements // Mood

This post is not about style, food or tourism, it's just some thoughts that I wanted to share with you; and of course feel free to comment and express your feelings too. In the fashion industry, like in all kind of industries, it is really hard to accomplish ambitious goals and succeed like we expected. 

I keep thinking about the relation between passion, efforts and successful people; like for example small designers who became legends or young bloggers who ended up being a source of inspiration for many. This whole subject intrigues me a lot; I keep asking myself a hundred of questions and wonder how to achieve my own goals in life. After many analysis, I think the first step is knowing exactly what we want, in other words, defining our exact objectives. Once you set your goals, you can start fighting and trying your best to achieve them. This whole procedure needs a lot of optimism and ambitious, but most of all, passion. Personally, I think every single person has a specific passion in life, but not everyone is aware of it. So I really encourage all of you to embrace and experience your small interests in life to discover your real passion, the one you are ready to die for. Success needs passion. 

And after this important step including the specific definition of your goals, you can start planning the strategies to overcome the obstacles. And as I said, you need to stay optimist and ambitious, and persevere until you get what you want. It is very important to always stay positive and enjoy your hard work. Fighting for something that we don't truly want is useless and tiring, but struggling for something we love is a source of happiness. 

And in whatever you do, whatever steps and struggles you are going through, there are always going to be things or persons who will try to take you down for many reasons. Haters are good sign, it means that you are doing something strong, powerful and scary. Failure is also good sign because it helps you get back on the right road. 

And if you are interested in fashion and you know that you are passionate about it, don't be discouraged by people who pretend to be superior and make you feel like you need more work and you're not ready. Fashion in particularly is a freestyle wonderland where every passionate creature can freely express itself. 

You need to believe in yourselves and be confident because every single person of you is special and fabulous; you just need to find the light to take you to your 'home'. 

Jbeil we go

Last Saturday I played the tourist in my own country with the summer hat and the backpack, and went to visit Jbeil with some friends. What a beautiful region. I went there a few times when I was younger but I never realized its true beauty until last Saturday. 

As we arrived, my friends and I had a typical Lebanese lunch on the seaport. We went then for a walk in the old souks but we were too lazy to walk so we took a little tourist open bus. The cool thing about Jbeil is that you don’t only have a beautiful museum and the old souks, but you also have the beach! So of course we went for a walk on the beach and couldn’t help it to jump in the waves like small kids.

The natural beauty of Lebanon is being ignored because of its political situation. Lebanese people are traveling for vacations while they don’t even visit their own country. I really encourage each one of you to take time to discover your own territory (whether it’s Lebanon or not) because every state has hidden natural treasures.  
This is what other countries thought about Jbeil: 

Saturday Gateway

Lately I've been into discovering Lebanon's mountains and littoral. Hanging out every day in the city, eating, shopping, partying and studying is boring at a certain point. Personally I got bored of the routine so I decided to explore more my country and discover new landscapes and activities.

Last week I went to Zaarour with some friends at a friend’s chalet. The weather was sunny with a little summer breeze, just perfect. We had lunch in a small local restaurant called Koukh El Sabaya. They only do man’oucheh (mne2ish) so we ordered several flavors like ham and cheese, za’atar, kechek and of course at the end Nutella. 

And since my friend owns an atv, of course we had to cruise around (no better way to visit the region). The landscapes were really amazing. You could see huge mountains around us and tress everywhere. But the most beautiful view was the lake that we found, so pure. The combination of the lake, threes, mountains and clouds was just amazing. Then we went off-road on ski slopes, and again, beautiful landscapes.  

Stay tuned to discover and see more pictures about other Lebanese regions!

Instagram: fashiongourmande

Snapchat: fabiennenag